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Please don’t say that! You make me feel like a geriatric, I consider Air to be a recent anime series, it’s only three years since it aired. To me, "old" is 1980's stuff like Akira or Nausicaa, not 21st century stuff.

Please don’t say that! You make me feel like a geriatric, I consider Air to be a recent anime series, it’s only three years since it aired. To me, "old" is 1980's stuff like Akira or Nausicaa, not 21st century stuff.

Yeah, even I don't consider it old, and I was 12 when Air began airing.

Though I first watched this a while ago:

Animation Quality: 10
Obvious. When it began airing, it set the bar for amazing animation quality.

Voice Actors: 9
Not speaking/understanding a good deal of Japanese is a large factor here, but the emotions of the seiyuu were easily felt across languages through tone and whatnot.

Script: 7
Ah, the biggest flaw with the anime. The only reason I was able to enjoy it so much my first time watching it was because I had perused the wikipedia page, getting down all of the plot beforehand. Though I had never really watched it without understanding it, I can easily see how it could confuse people with its pacing and ambiguity.

Adaptation from Game: -
Can't comment here, seeing as I never played the game.

Editing: 9
Not sure what this is, but I would say it was finely editted and such. Musical quality, animation quality, character designs (that I had to get used to a bit), and some excellent parts of the script were amazing.

Emotional Involvement: 10
Clear ten. Each arc made me feel strongly for the character at hand: Minagi's, Kano's, Kanna's, and especially Misuzu's.

For some reason, when I watched this, it was really boring. I watched each episode just for the sake of watching. It's probably been more than a year, but from what I can remember, this anime was just unexciting compared to other dramas and watching each episode after another was torture. Probably because of the character designs compared to other anime that i've seen. Although I can also recollect some sad moments too.

AIR was for me, the pinnacle of the high school romance/harem genre. This may not mean much in itself but it's a statement that comes after recently (within the last few weeks) finishing all of Kanon and the first season of CLANNAD.

Length: Overall, length of a series does not generally define it's quality, but for my part, I tend to prefer the 12 - 24 range since shows that push for more often lose the magic that made them special in the first place. For AIR, 12 episodes was perfect. There was just enough time to be introduced, skim through the less significant arcs and move on to the meat of the story.

One of main reasons I prefer AIR to the other KeyoAni adaptations is it's clear focus on the main arc. Other girls make appearances, but unlike Kanon, our protagonist doesn't become heavily mired (emotionally) with each only to move on suddenly when a solution presents itself.

Romance: The love story portrayed by AIR transcends space and time without any childish romance needed to convey the intense relationships involved. Yukito doesn't kiss Misuzu once the entire TV series, yet we clearly grasp the the feelings the two have for each other. From there, we move on to the equally important and powerful aspect of love within a family to wrap things up.

Progression: The plot moved through the arcs at a pace perfect for myself. Adding the summer arc to the mix was a refreshing and unexpected change that also served to greatly enhance the main arc. Even during the last arc when things shifted into a recap of previous events, the animators and directors gave us a completely different perspective that didn't feel recycled in the least.

Ending: Both brimming with the joy of a new beginning and the aching sorrow of loss, it's hard to label it as such. The tinge of unknown (the children on the beach) was magical and appropriate prompting a re watch of the whole series to catch some of the subtleties that may have been missed the first time through.

Issues: I had very few complaints with AIR. One issue in particular that I think could have been handled better was Yukito's departure from the scene. I understand his 'wish' was necessary to start the final arc, but there in lies the problem. Considering the apparent ability of the doll to grant practically any wish he has, it seems silly he'd wish to simply restart the summer, especially considering his reincarnated form.

The Movie: Watching the Television series first had me bias towards a particular plot progression, so when the movie deviated considerably at points, I wasn't pleased. The animation was stellar, although the stylized stills are unacceptable for a movie in my opinion. It was also nice to see Yukito around at the end for Misuzu.

Issues: I had very few complaints with AIR. One issue in particular that I think could have been handled better was Yukito's departure from the scene. I understand his 'wish' was necessary to start the final arc, but there in lies the problem. Considering the apparent ability of the doll to grant practically any wish he has, it seems silly he'd wish to simply restart the summer, especially considering his reincarnated form.

I think you kind of got it wrong. He did not wish to restart the summer, he wished that Misuzu could wake up again to have more time with her mother. The consequences or the tribute of this wish was to lose his human form and reincarnate as a crow. And since time is insignificant in the universe of AIR, he reincarnated at the start of the summer events.

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I'll just lay a 9 despite AIR being my most favorite. Mainly because Kano and Minagi's arc feel so detached and very irrelevant. Also, I'm still ranting that KyoAni had to do put all the Kanna goodness in the OVA. They should've included it in the actual Summer arc. >: O

I agree, I would have loved to see more of Minagi and Kano's arc, and the Summer arc was kind of off (although I did enjoy the Kanna x Ryuuya scene in episode 9), and as of episode 10, we didn't really see Misuzu's thoughts when Yukito was staying with Minagi.
I think they could have done much better, but it still holds favorite anime to me.
9/10

On one hand, I feel like giving it a 9/10, as the series was just FANTASTIC, on the other hand, (sorry to the other person who said the same thing, I thought of it before I read your post, just so you'd know) "painful" does seem like a pretty apropriate way to describe it. Most depressing ending to an anime I've ever seen, though that was what made it so great. This one is definitely far more emotional than Clannad was, (Though from what I've heard about the After Story...) and both Air and Clannad are among my favourites now.
This show proves two things:
1. KyoAni is incapable of making a bad anime, and
2. Key is, in fact, a bunch of evil monsters who take pleasure in making people cry so much that they die from dehydration. Not that I actually cried from watching Air, no anime has ever made me cry, but it came pretty damn close during that final episode...

On one hand, I feel like giving it a 9/10, as the series was just FANTASTIC, on the other hand, (sorry to the other person who said the same thing, I thought of it before I read your post, just so you'd know) "painful" does seem like a pretty apropriate way to describe it.

Yes, I think that for tragic series animesuke need to reverse their poll rating descriptions, something like:

On one hand, I feel like giving it a 9/10, as the series was just FANTASTIC, on the other hand, (sorry to the other person who said the same thing, I thought of it before I read your post, just so you'd know) "painful" does seem like a pretty apropriate way to describe it. Most depressing ending to an anime I've ever seen, though that was what made it so great. This one is definitely far more emotional than Clannad was, (Though from what I've heard about the After Story...) and both Air and Clannad are among my favourites now.
This show proves two things:
1. KyoAni is incapable of making a bad anime, and
2. Key is, in fact, a bunch of evil monsters who take pleasure in making people cry so much that they die from dehydration. Not that I actually cried from watching Air, no anime has ever made me cry, but it came pretty damn close during that final episode...

1. imho Haruhi was garbage :P

After Story is emotional, but I think overall AIR on TV was much more so. The ending was bittersweet in the sense that it was both a happy (or positive?) ending alongside a tragic ending...atleast that's what I interpreted it as.

On another note, the remade OP for the BD release at 1080p is just amazing...the price of entry is high to get the BD edition, but the OP remake alone is worth it imho.

Well, I couldn't disagree more, (It being my second favourite show EVAH and stuff) so I'm afraid I'll have to murder you in fanboy-rage now.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mandarb916

After Story is emotional, but I think overall AIR on TV was much more so. The ending was bittersweet in the sense that it was both a happy (or positive?) ending alongside a tragic ending...atleast that's what I interpreted it as.

Well, while I don't know exactly what happens, (And I'd rather keep it like that until the anime is finished) I do know that someone said that the bad end of the Afterstory was equal to repeatedly torturing someone. The exact quote being

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skane

Spoiler for implied spoilers for the Clannad Game:

The "Happy Ending" only occurs after the player goes through the "Extreme Bad-Ending". I mean seriously... KEY didn't just shoot the dog here (where dog = player), they raped the dog, kicked it while it's down and danced around its horrified body before going, "Haha! Gotcha!"

Now, Air's ending was sad, but at least things worked out alright for MOST of the characters... Just not the main characters themselves.
By the way, perfect line to describe this show: "Hey, have I ever told you that your life sucks?" Because honestly, is there ANYONE in Air it doesn't suck to be?

what can i say about air... wow i have a strong personality and i almost never cry seriously. i must say air was i think the only show ever period that made me cry. lol i was cryin like a baby so sad :..(

i dont know i anyone noticed but it seemed like the way the creator made those little side stories was just for the purpose of filling epi's because in the end they were completely irrelavent and didnt even make an appearence. but the MAIN story was so good i cant even take off points for that. artwork was incredible, and music was beyond magnificent. overall ide give air a perfect 10 and it is deffinately in my top 3 of animes! i could definately feel the passion and emotion in it.

I like AIR, not the same as Clannad or Kanon, but I like it, such amazing story with a sad ending. Really-really sad. AIR is one of my anime favourites ever, because you will never forget this amazing story, Key, thanks again for this amazing work and Kyoto, thank's you too for this amazing adaptation of this story. Of course, there are some moments, that have not been animated or some moments haven't been fully shown. But this is a work of amazing quality and it's deserves a big rating. And remember some amazing scenes like waving hairs. And this music, amazing. And yes, this thing is deserves to be watching in a real HD.

Animation Quality: 10. Best of the best. Just remember this waving hairs. Kyoto always makes an amazing animation.Voice Actors: 10. Perfect and full of emotions.Script: 10. This is Key. You know their quality, always 10.Adaptation from Game: 9. Not all was animated and something was cut off, but this is an amazing adaptation. I think, it's really hard to make this adaptation better.Editing: 10.Emotional Involvement: 10. Oh yes. It's 10. Of course, it isn't like in Clannad or Kanon, but remember the ending.

Overall: 10/10 (I'm not counting an average ratings from editing, voicing and so on). In my opinion it's a somwhere above 9, but if we will compare to some other works... where you will get the same level ? It's a rare thing. And it's deserves a big rating. Key and Kyoto, thanks for this amazing work again.

By the way, perfect line to describe this show: "Hey, have I ever told you that your life sucks?" Because honestly, is there ANYONE in Air it doesn't suck to be?

For some reason this brings to mind the song "Walk on By" which was done by The Stranglers amongst other people (and originally by Dionne Warwick)

Quote:

If you see me walking down the street
And I start to cry each time we meet
Walk on by, walk on by
And make believe that you can't see the tears
Just let me grieve in private 'cause each time I see you
I just want to cry......

This could be Misuzu's anthem, it seems to sum up her situation perfectly!

Ahh, I just heard the song "natsukage" from the OST on Youtube, now I feel like I have to write about this show.

Gao? What the hell is "gao"? If only I had known if it meant the breaking of a painful cycle of sorrow that has lasted for 1000 summers too many it would have been so different...

Before 2006, I hadn't really watched much anime besides the random ones that would show on Cartoon network. So I came across fansubs and Haruhi, and that sparked some interest in other anime. And so I came across this little gem. Could you really have a working show without the gratuitous violence and fanservice that seems mandatory these days? Air shows that you can, and that made it really stand out. And it still does.

Air does everything in its power to draw you into a world of epic fantasy. The first episode starts out quite mudane with an interesting tidbit at the start to suggest that Yukito has been sent on some mission. But it doesn't take us long to realize what's going on. The shots of Misuzu standing on the edge with the instrumental of the theme song at the end of the first episode were unforgettable. Air manages to create a certain atmosphere that the later Key adaptations weren't able to create and thus Air was about to grab ahold of my attention much more easily. Of course, Clannad and Kanon are great in their own ways, but this is just something specific to Air and not easy to duplicate.

That being said, the storyline itself for the 1st half or so was rather garbled and aimless. Kano and Minagi are nice characters, but unfortunately aren't very interesting. Their stories have a mild heartwarming feeling at their conclusions, but ultimately aren't really that memorable. The relevance of their stories to the main plot is vague and doesn't connect very well, making me wonder what the point of all of that was about. The point of the arc in the past was to provide backstory behind winged being, Kanna, but I didn't really feel that fit into the story very well either. It's kinda just jammed in there; maybe if the scenes were more spread out it'd create some sense of revealing plot points. It's certainly entertaining in and of itself though.

The characterization is focused almost entirely on Yukito, Misuzu, and Haruko, and thus all my concerns were really towards them and not much towards anyone else. This seems to be something rather common in Kyoani's Key adaptations, creating a kind of "bubble world" where nobody else seems to exist. Part of it is necessary due to the fact that Air is based on a multiple path Visual Novel, and the other being Kyoani being very obsessed with staying true with the source material. It's a pretty double edged sword at time, but at least we get to know about Yukito's Misuzu's and Haruko's thoughts and feelings extremely well.

Yukito is definitely a very interesting protagonist-- Key tends to have rather strong male leads as opposed to your average anime one. He is incredibly apathetic at first and the first thing on his mind is food. But as the story progresses, he goes from just doing things because it's a chore to dedicating his life to helping Misuzu. Heck, how many protagonists you know sacrifice themselves 2/3d's of the way in as he takes a ridiculously huge risk to get Misuzu happiness.

And now, let's note here. He cannot save Misuzu's life. He did this to make her life a little longer so she can find peace with her mom and maybe be happy. None of this is certain which makes his sacrifice so much more saddening. He literally gave it all banking on that little bit of hope.

Misuzu is quite likable; she somehow manages to smile after all the terrible things she's been through. Literally carrying a thousand's years worth of pain on her, she gives all of her effort just to find a little bit of happiness. Her mother, Haruko, had already given up on her, but eventually Haruko comes back and is able to face reality due to Misuzu's determination.

So in the end, Air is about a struggle for happiness in the face of impossible odds. Perhaps it is foolish to simply wait on a miracle, but maybe taking action might make that miracle come true. We must certainly have a deux ex machina here, due to our characters' willpower, right? Everything will be ok in the end.

No, such is life. Some things can't be avoided. The last episodes of Air don't pull any punches. It's very hard to watch as you realize that our leads are gone and aren't coming back. The "gao" scene at the end is priceless but I don't have to explain this to anyone's that's watched the show. But Misuzu's soul has been freed; so this was not all for nothing. Thus, making the ending bittersweet as hell.

Of course, the visual and audio strengths of ths anime are pretty obvious, with the beautiful scenery and backgrounds. The song "Tori no Uta" goes without saying. The voice acting is mostly passable, though they do very well for the important scenes.

Overall Rating: 7/10 The anime is dragged down by overly complicated storytelling and confusing direction, but the emotions generated are extremely powerful and unforgettable-- I'd say one of a kind. It's the most emotional of all the Kyoani/Key works, and that is something to be proud of.

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